Iranian Soccer Players Banned, Fined $40,000 for Celebratory Butt Squeeze

Turn on almost any sporting event, be it an American or international one, and you'll likely see some butt slapping. And if you've played sports, you've likely been on the giving or receiving end of the practice. But even though it's as popular in sports as scoring, one place you won't find it is in Iran. Or rather, if you do find it there, you'll also find the country doing everything to stomp it out. What do I mean? Consider that two soccer players involved in a recent butt slapping were fined and banned.

Here's how Gawker explains it:

The Iranian football federation has scrutinized controversial footage of Persepolis defender Mohammed Nosrati (below, left) squeezing teammate Sheis Rezaei's (right) firm buttocks following a goal during the Persian Gulf Cup, and ruled that the two players be fined $40,000 each and "banned indefinitely from all football activities for committing immoral acts."

The incident sparked outrage in Iran. According to the Daily Mail, one cleric called it a "shameless act:"

Jalal Yahyazadeh, a cleric and member of parliament, called it a ‘shameless act’ and added that it had ‘upset, angered and outraged’ all sports fans.

‘What happened is absolutely not acceptable because it was a very ugly thing,’ he said, adding that the country’s sports minister should be held accountable.

After the incident made headlines in the international media and with a clip available on the internet, the federation’s media committee met today and ‘demanded that elements who damaged the country’s sporting spirit be dealt with firmly’

So, are you ready to see what got two players banned? Here's the video:

If after seeing the video you're wondering how Rezaei got roped into the punishment, you're not the only one. Gawker is wondering too:

I'm not exactly sure how Rezaei got roped into the censure, seeing as he clearly swatted Nosrati's hand away before it could actually enter his Strait of Hormuz. Let's just hope they don't now convene a special meeting of the First Supreme Towel-Snapping Heretics' Tribunal.

However, the Huffington Post located another video that shows another celebration that could explain Nosrati's ban. Let's just say he could be accused of having roving hands:

Are you offended?